Collaborative Partnerships Between the University and Surrounding Communities
The SIUE Successful Communities Collaborative (SSCC) is a one-year program that supports partnerships between the University and communities in Illinois to meet sustainability-identified needs.
How the Collaborative Works?
The Collaborative selects a single partner community, city or county, through a competitive application process and works with them to identify projects that will be beneficial to the community. Each project is connected with one or more key courses at SIUE that can provide research or technical support and move the project forward.
Special Projects & Initiatives
In March 2021, SIUE TRHT Campus Center founding director, Dr. Jessica Harris, was named SIUE’s first vice chancellor for equity, diversity and inclusion (VCEDI). Following, TRHT team member, Dr. Connie Frey Spurlock, became the Center’s second director. This created new opportunities for the Center to reach its goals to equip and empower both campus and community stakeholders with the knowledge, skills, and courage to tell the truth, to develop authentic relationships, and to actualize racial equity, as Frey Spurlock is also director of SIUE’s Successful Communities Collaborative (SSCC). SSCC is a cross-disciplinary program that supports yearlong partnerships between SIUE and Illinois communities to advance community-identified environmental, social and economic issues. SSCC’s mission is to connect Illinois communities with SIUE students, staff, and faculty. The integration of TRHT and SSCC results in more equitable access to high impact practices (HIPs) for SIUE students because community-identified needs are embedded into courses in which students are enrolled. This is important because HIPs are recognized for their positive impact on retention and learning outcomes for students across many backgrounds. As community and campus stakeholders collaborate and achieve goals together, truths can be revealed, authentic relationships can be formed, and racial equity can be advanced.
Press releases:
- SIUE Helps Cleanup and Preserve Katherine Dunham’s East St. Louis Home
- SIUE Participates in the Emma L. Wilson King Foundation’s East St. Louis Family Fun Festival
Community-Oriented Digital Engagement Scholars, or CODES, is a new program for students who want to replace their general education coursework for hands-on learning experiences for credit. In CODES, you’ll practice creative problem solving and learn new technical skills like mapping, data visualization and communicating online as you share your collaborative research with real audiences in the community.
Press releases:
